Aryan Invasion Theory: the myth cant die?

There is yet another discussion going on at another blog – Shunya – on the so-called Aryan-Invasion Theory. It is interesting the way Namit, the author of the post characteristizes different protagonists in the discussion. Subhash Kak (head of Computer Science at Oklahoma State Univ) is introduced as a “revisionist” and Witzel, who wrote some controversial papers on this theory is introduced as a person who has written “brilliant papers”.

That introduction itself set me off to begin with. The discussion is as partisan thereafter as the intro was. There is a lady who is certainly un-educated in the Vedas – tries to discuss how “Siva, Ram and Krishna” never originated in the Vedas. Hmm, as far as I know Shiva (Rudra), Brahma (Prajapati) and Vishnu are mentioned in the Vedas so I found it very facetious in the way this entire discussion is usually handled. For example on Shiva:

A god named Rudra is mentioned in the Rig Veda. The name Rudra is still used as a name for Shiva. In RV 2.33 he is described as the “Father of the Maruts”, a group of storm gods. Furthermore, the Rudram, one of the most sacred hymns of Hinduism found both in the Rig and the Yajur Vedas, and addressed to Rudra, invokes him as Shiva in several instances.

A seal was also found in Mohenjo daro of Pashupati, which some believe was a “prototype” of Shiva.

A seal discovered during the excavation of Mohenjo-daro has drawn attention as a possible representation of a “proto-Shiva” figure. This “Pashupati” (Lord of Animals,or Lord of Beings Sanskrit paśupati) seal shows a seated figure, possibly ithyphallic, surrounded by animals. Sir John Marshall and others have claimed that this figure is a prototype of Shiva, and have described the figure as having three faces, seated in a “yoga posture” with the knees out and feet joined.

Now, having said that, in my view, these similarities and differences are not as direct a proof as the DNA evidence should be. And that is where the rub comes. If the “Aryan” and “Dravidian” were indeed two different races originating in different places and fighting for land, then their DNA make-up should be radically different! If the Dravidians came from India and Aryans came decidedly from Europe, then there shouldn’t be much similarities. After all there are differences between the Western Europeans and Eastern Europeans which is very clear. But the DNA lineage gives up completely different clues!

Alternatively, the high frequency of R1a1 found in several South Indian tribes including the Chenchu and the Badagas, together with a higher R1a1-associated STR diversity in India and Iran compared with Europe and Central Asia, has been taken as evidence for an origin of R1a1 (M17) in Southern or Western Asia (Kivisild 2003b). Stephen Oppenheimer believes that it is highly suggestive that India is the origin of the Eurasian mtDNA haplogroups which he calls the “Eurasian Eves”. According to Oppenheimer it is highly probable that nearly all human maternal lineages in Europe (and similarly in East Asia) descended from only four mtDNA lines that originated in South Asia 50,000-10,000 years ago.

Studies like the one attached (Kivisild 2003) show that the genetic make up between tribal groups in South India and other parts of India (including North) is persistent. Also, as the Aryan Invasion theory insists that Dravidians who lived in North were driven by the Aryans to South during this invasion is also not supported by research (one of the largest on Indian DNA):

While considerable cultural impact on social hierarchy and language in south Asia is attributable to the arrival of nomadic Central Asian pastoralists, genetic data (mitochondrial and Y chromosomal) have yielded dramatically conflicting inferences on the genetic origins of tribes and castes of south Asia. We sought to resolve this conflict using high-resolution data on 69 informative Y-chromosome binary markers and 10 microsatellite markers from a large set of geographically, socially and linguistically representative ethnic groups of south Asia. We have found that the influence of Central Asia on the pre-existing gene pool was minor. The ages of accumulated microsatellite variation in the majority of Indian haplogroups exceed 10-15 kya, attesting to the antiquity of regional differentiation. Therefore, our data do not support models that invoke a pronounced recent genetic input from central Asia to explain the observed genetic variation in south Asia. R1a1 and R2 haplogroups indicate demographic complexity that is inconsistent with a recent single history. Associated microsatellite analyses of the high frequency R1a1 haplogroup chromosomes indicate independent recent histories of the Indus valley and the peninsular Indian region. Our data are also more consistent with a peninsular origin of Dravidian speakers than a source with proximity to the Indus and significant genetic input resulting from demic diffusion associated with agriculture. Our results underscore the importance of marker ascertainment towards distinguishing phylogenetic terminal branches from basal nodes when attributing ancestral composition and temporality to either indigenous or exogenous sources. Our reappraisal indicates that pre-Holocene and Holocene era (that’s before 10,000 BC) – not Indo-European – expansions have shaped the distinctive south Asian Y-chromosome landscape.

The new technology of genetics mapping in recent decade is in shadow of controversies but throw substantial evidence that our ancestors or Homo sapiens originated in Africa around 150,000 years ago a small group left the region some 80,000 years ago and settled along the coast of south Asia from their they gradually spread out to colonize in different part of the world .All non Africans in world today are descended from a small group South Asian living south of a line from Yemen to Himalayas, especially from those along the Indian coast, this mean that after Africa , India is the second homeland of human species. This founder group from which all non- Africans are descended, barely survived the fallout from volcanic eruption in Sumatra known as the Toba Explosion, 74,000 years ago Toba Explosion was the greatest catastrophe ever to hit humanity , it almost put an end to non African human population , but a core group survived in India ,which became a jumping off point for the ultimate colonization of the world . This means that the Indian population is largely indigenous from the earlier times of the Toba Explosion and is not the result of recent migration as held by many historians and anthropologist from West.

This view, of India having borrowed its culture mainly from west is nothing but west inability to understand India civilization and culture which mainly compromise of spiritual and scientific wisdom of India in accordance with nature.An ecological approach to history is must to understand in ecological ageNature itself tell us who we are, India as a land is uniquely placed on the world map, a large tropical or sub tropical subcontinent is located between the great mountain ranges of Himalayas in north act as a effective boundaries to cross even today, in west the vast desert region Make it a impossible to access from , the jungles of East are impenetrable and are the wettest region on earth difficult enough to access IndiaIndia’s greatest access has always been by sea the southern and eastern routes are easiest to travel that’s the reason Indian civilisation spread by sea to Malasiya ,Indonesia and Indochina following the course of prevailing rivers .India is blessed with best agriculture region in world, its ecosystem has made it a fertile ground for any civilization to bloom with its culture.At ending of last ice age the spread of civilization through shallow sea routes to the adjoining islands which ones were the integral part of the coastal India and Sunda lands, the study and impact of culture and history of inhabitants of such lands cannot be ignored for introspecting into a civilization of Aryans in milieu of rich Indian heritage consisting of Vedas which are the immortal evidence which follows the era by mouth from generation to next generation and not some monuments or archaeologist mortal evidence to form a full proof There is no reference in Rig veda, of Aryan as race or certain tribe the word Aryan was an important title of respect to learned ones comparable to English word ‘sir’or gentleman ,we cannot say or imagine Aryans conquered ancient India and took over all titles of respect in the country, any more than we can imagine that a tribe of Englishmen named ‘Sir’ took over all the main position of power in England.

Above text is compiled and derived from ‘Hidden Horizons’ by Dr David Frawley and Dr Navaratna Rajaram

Anonymous

The new technology of genetics mapping in recent decade is in shadow of controversies but throw substantial evidence that our ancestors or Homo sapiens originated in Africa around 150,000 years ago a small group left the region some 80,000 years ago and settled along the coast of south Asia from their they gradually spread out to colonize in different part of the world .All non Africans in world today are descended from a small group South Asian living south of a line from Yemen to Himalayas, especially from those along the Indian coast, this mean that after Africa , India is the second homeland of human species. This founder group from which all non- Africans are descended, barely survived the fallout from volcanic eruption in Sumatra known as the Toba Explosion, 74,000 years ago Toba Explosion was the greatest catastrophe ever to hit humanity , it almost put an end to non African human population , but a core group survived in India ,which became a jumping off point for the ultimate colonization of the world . This means that the Indian population is largely indigenous from the earlier times of the Toba Explosion and is not the result of recent migration as held by many historians and anthropologist from West.

This view, of India having borrowed its culture mainly from west is nothing but west inability to understand India civilization and culture which mainly compromise of spiritual and scientific wisdom of India in accordance with nature. An ecological approach to history is must to understand in ecological age Nature itself tell us who we are, India as a land is uniquely placed on the world map, a large tropical or sub tropical subcontinent is located between the great mountain ranges of Himalayas in north act as a effective boundaries to cross even today, in west the vast desert region Make it a impossible to access from , the jungles of East are impenetrable and are the wettest region on earth difficult enough to access India India’s greatest access has always been by sea the southern and eastern routes are easiest to travel that’s the reason Indian civilisation spread by sea to Malasiya ,Indonesia and Indochina following the course of prevailing rivers .India is blessed with best agriculture region in world, its ecosystem has made it a fertile ground for any civilization to bloom with its culture. At ending of last ice age the spread of civilization through shallow sea routes to the adjoining islands which ones were the integral part of the coastal India and Sunda lands, the study and impact of culture and history of inhabitants of such lands cannot be ignored for introspecting into a civilization of Aryans in milieu of rich Indian heritage consisting of Vedas which are the immortal evidence which follows the era by mouth from generation to next generation and not some monuments or archaeologist mortal evidence to form a full proof There is no reference in Rig veda, of Aryan as race or certain tribe the word Aryan was an important title of respect to learned ones comparable to English word ‘sir’or gentleman ,we cannot say or imagine Aryans conquered ancient India and took over all titles of respect in the country, any more than we can imagine that a tribe of Englishmen named ‘Sir’ took over all the main position of power in England.

Above text is compiled and derived from ‘Hidden Horizons’ by Dr David Frawley and Dr Navaratna Rajaram